18 AUGUST 2017

Richardson Wants No Excuses After Mosley Is Victorious

Richadson Takes Mosley on the pads (Chris Farina)

By Clive Bernath: Naazim Richardson, the respected trainer of ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley does not want to hear any excuses whatsoever when his fighter shocks the world and defeats Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.

Pacquiao, the pound for pound best boxer on the planet, is an overwhelming favourite to retain his WBO welterweight title against Mosley-who at 39 years-old-is considered by many to be past his sell by date.

The ‘Pacman’ may well be a firm favourite in gambling mad Las Vegas but Richardson understandably believes Mosley can pull off the shock result of the decade. There have been rumblings around town that Pacquiao’s out of the ring interests such as political commitments and the release of his first record(Manny likes to sing), plus trainer Freddie Roache’s commitment to other boxers, may effect his performance. Regardless, Richadson wants no excuses from anyone after Mosley pulls off a famous victory.

“I think Manny is focused and I think his camp is totally focused. I don’t think his job in the government is a different distraction and I don’t think that Freddie Roach going to England with Amir Khan is a distraction,” insists Richardson. “I think their sole focus is on Mosley. And like I’ve said, when “Sugar” Shane Mosley scores this incredible victory over Manny Pacquiao I don’t want Manny to be de-clawed or de-fanged. I don’t want people to reduce Manny into distraction. I don’t want to hear that Manny is only two inches tall and weighs 32 ounces. I don’t want to hear any of these things that I’ve heard. They say he’s a killer and the most monstrous fighter out there today so Shane should get his full amount of due when he pulls this victory off.”

As the biggest fight of the year approaches Manny Pacquiao is undoubtedly in his prime as a fighter, his speed and accuracy have been finely tuned ready to cause maximum mayhem when he faces Mosley in the squared circle come Saturday night. It is those qualities Richardson is expected to train Mosley for. He will of course try and prepare his man for the aforementioned but he will also be preparing Mosley to face a defensive opponent as well.

“I said something to Shane the other day and I still hold firm with it, which was, ‘You’ve never been hit by Shane Mosley.’ You see, I’ve been hit more times by Shane Mosley than Shane Mosley has been hit,” said Richardson.

“So Shane Mosley is quick to say this guy is a gladiator and this guy is going to fight me. But it doesn’t matter. I have to prepare Shane Mosley for a defensive fighter with every man he faces because if Shane hits you solid you’re going on the defensive. I don’t care how much of a gladiator or how tough you were before, when Shane tags you, you’ll be a defensive fighter. So he doesn’t see it the way I see it. So Pacquiao could become a defensive fighter in this fight too.”